After all, not everyone has the financial means to invest in a domain name, hosting platform, and web designer. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent free deals online if you know where to look (and we do). We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started with your website, including where to find a free web host and how to get a free domain name.
Look for a free web host that suits your needs. There are some companies out there that offer free web hosting and that make it easy to build a simple website with your own customized content. The costs for this are usually a special subdomain (with the company name) and significantly fewer design options for the site. Free website design and hosting options are available at Yola, Google Sites, Freehostia, and Biz.nf.
Create an account with your new web host. Most services initially require an email address and other verified identification details. Some may also ask for credit card information if they want payment to be automatic based on your usage, although it is unlikely to do so. If you already have a Google Account, you can simply sign up for Google Sites or Blogger by signing in and going to the appropriate page.
Choose a domain name. Free domain names or subdomain names (URLs including company name) are available from many (but not all) free web providers. Typically you will be prompted to select a URL immediately after joining and you will need to confirm its availability beforehand. Choose your domain name wisely. While some servers may allow future changes to your custom domain name (based on availability and generally configurable through your profile options), others cannot.
Create a website for yourself. Free website hosting may not allow you to completely change the look and feel of your website, but they do offer pre-made designs with customizable features. For many people, this is a blessing as it is easy to create a professional looking website using these templates and tools. Before you sign up for any service, you should be able to take a look at the various templates and sample websites.
Free domain name registrars can be found through some research. This is a fantastic choice when all you need is a free domain name (e.g. if your website is already set up or you want to develop it from scratch). A quick search reveals a number of companies that offer free domains.
Select a registrar for your domain name. Before deciding on a domain name registrar, consider what services and features you need most, as well as your wants and dreams for the site itself.
Find the domain name you want. Due to the rarity of other domain extensions, your preferred domain name is more likely to be available through free domain provider services. You need to check the availability of your domain before it is assigned to you.
Choose a domain name from the list of options. Some websites only offer one domain extension (e.g. “.tk” or “.tumblr.com”), while others search for all available (free) domain extensions. Choose a domain name that suits you and you can start developing your website.
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